The Pittsburgh Steelers got a welcome bit of injury news on second-year quarterback Will Howard, who has cleared concussion protocol and is back on the practice field after being evaluated for a head injury following the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills.
That update matters for a team that has already had to navigate some early setbacks. Star safety DeShon Elliott is starting the year on the IR, and special teams ace Ben Skowronek is also in the protocol, so the Steelers were eager to avoid another hit to the roster before the season even gets rolling.
Howard’s return also lines up with what general manager Omar Khan had already said publicly. Khan recently told the media that Howard was expected to clear in the coming days, and that’s exactly how it played out.
It’s a particularly good sign for new head coach Mike McCarthy, whose quarterback school has already helped Howard and the rest of the depth chart take a step forward. Howard has gone from something of an afterthought in Pittsburgh to a possible starting option in 2027, and staying healthy is part of that process.
For now, the goal is simple: keep him on the field and keep stacking reps. Howard is still very much a project, but it’s one the Steelers and McCarthy appear committed to developing.
The second season is already off to a better start than his rookie year, which went almost entirely the opposite of how he hoped. This preseason, Howard got a chance to play in all three games and put together enough strong tape to make the Steelers take notice.
He threw three interceptions, but he also completed over 66% of his passes and led two scoring drives. He also stood out running the two-minute drill in the preseason opener, and McCarthy has continued to offer him multiple ringing endorsements since taking over the job.
With the protocol behind him, Howard is back in the third spot on the depth chart behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. That gives him a chance to keep learning and absorbing as much as possible before he and Drew Allar get the chance to compete in 2027.
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Arizonas interest makes sense with Will Johnson sidelined by a lower-body injury and five cornerbacks already on the active roster. For Pittsburgh, Jamisons quick landing is another reminder of how fluid the back end of the roster can be once cutdown day passes and teams start looking for experienced cover help. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Quietly Added An Intriguing Edge Rusher To Watch
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A 2025 fifth-round pick by the Patriots, Swinson spent most of his rookie year on New Englands practice squad and got into three games. For a Steelers team that has long valued pass-rush depth and coaching up athletic defenders, he is the kind of low-risk addition worth monitoring as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Tomlin Finally Revealed What Really Pushed Steelers To Trade Pickens
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Pickens time in Pittsburgh had plenty of talent but also enough friction to make the choice easier to understand in hindsight. The fines and on-field incidents that followed him through his Steelers tenure were part of the backdrop, and Tomlins comments made clear those issues mattered when the team weighed what it wanted next at the position. The larger question now is how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to draw that line, and what it says about the standard the front office wants to keep enforcing. [Read more 🡒]